Applying for Social Security Disability benefits can feel overwhelming, and many claims get denied not because someone isn’t truly struggling, but because their application doesn’t clearly show how their condition prevents them from working. Here are the most common mistakes that people make—and what to do instead to give your claim the strongest chance of success:
- Focusing on the diagnosis instead of work impact: Social Security decides cases based on whether you can reliably work, not just what you’ve been diagnosed with.
- Not explaining functional limitations clearly: Describe what you can (and can’t) do in real-world terms—standing, sitting, walking, focusing, lifting, breaks, and flare-ups.
- Providing incomplete or inaccurate medical provider information: Incorrect names, addresses, or fax numbers can prevent records from being obtained, leading to a denial.
- Assuming Social Security will “figure it out”: If records don’t arrive or details are missing, they may decide without key evidence.
- Giving vague work history answers: Your job duties from the last 15 years matter—include lifting amounts, standing/sitting time, movements, and responsibilities.
- Being too vague on the Function Report (SSA-3373): Avoid terms like “not very far” or “a while.” Use numbers and specifics.
- Missing important deadlines: Forms often must be returned within 7–14 days. Late or missing forms can trigger a denial.
- Waiting too long to get professional help: Complex cases, combined conditions, Date Last Insured issues, and evidence gaps can sink a claim without guidance from an experienced disability attorney.
- Not responding strategically after a denial or before a hearing: Updated medical records and a clear disability timeline can make or break the case.
Let’s take a closer look at these most common mistakes in more detail.
Applying for Social Security Disability benefits can be overwhelming for most people.
The forms are long, the deadlines are tight, and the legal definition of disability isn’t always intuitive.
Many claimants focus on the medical diagnosis itself, assuming that simply listing their conditions will lead to an approval. Unfortunately, that misunderstanding is the reason many applications are denied.
As a disability law firm, we see people that end up making the same mistakes over and over again.
If you want to give yourself the best chance of success, here are some important pitfalls to avoid when filing for Social Security Disability benefits.
Understand Disability Is Actually About Your Ability to Work
When you communicate with Social Security or complete your application, remember the central issue in your case: whether you have a medical condition that prevents you from being a reliable employee at even a simple, entry-level job.
Most people focus on their diagnosis: “I have congestive heart failure. I have degenerative disc disease. I have migraine headaches. Will I win?”
The honest answer is: it depends on how those conditions affect your ability to work.
Social Security does not award benefits just because you have a diagnosis or because you are in pain.
They want to know:
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- Can you work consistently?
- Can you maintain attendance?
- Can you stay focused?
- Can you complete a normal workday without interruptions?
- Can you perform basic job duties without needing unscheduled breaks?
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Even individuals over age 50 or 55 may still need to show how their health issues interfere with their ability to maintain employment.
This is not about how impressive or frightening the diagnosis is. It is about the practical, vocational effects of your medical condition.
When you complete disability forms, think about how your condition impacts your daily functioning in a workplace.
Describe how symptoms, pain, fatigue, or medication side effects make it difficult to complete tasks, sit or stand, concentrate, or show up reliably.
Provide Complete and Accurate Medical Information
Social Security will request your medical records, but they need the correct details to get them.
This is an area where claimants often sabotage their own cases without realizing it.
The disability adjudicators want to obtain your records directly from your medical providers so the evidence is complete and unedited.
However, two problems come up repeatedly:
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- The medical provider charges more than Social Security is willing to pay.
- Social Security cannot get the records because the claimant gave incorrect information.
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A misspelled doctor’s name, a wrong fax number, or an outdated office address can delay or block the request.
When this happens, Social Security may simply make a decision without critical evidence — and most of the time, that decision is a denial.
To avoid this mistake:
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- Make a list of every doctor, clinic, and hospital that has treated you.
- Verify the provider’s full name, correct spelling, address, phone number, and fax number.
- Include specialty clinics, physical therapy providers, specialists, and pain management practices.
- If possible, inform your providers that they will receive a request from Social Security and ask them to respond promptly.
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Completeness matters. Do not assume Social Security will figure it out.
If they cannot get the records, you will lose your case.
Provide a Detailed Work History — Not Vague Answers
If you are close to age 50 or older call us BEFORE you file. You could make huge mistakes which could ruin your claim.
Most people underestimate how important their work history is to their disability claim. Social Security must determine whether you can return to your past relevant work — the jobs you performed within the last 15 years.
The agency can see your earnings from wage records, but they cannot see what you actually did at those jobs. You will need to explain that.
When Social Security asks about your work history:
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- Describe job duties in detail.
- List how much you lifted.
- Explain how long you stood or sat.
- Describe bending, reaching, or repetitive movements.
- Note whether you supervised others.
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Avoid vague answers like “not very heavy,” “not too long,” or “it depends.” Those answers tell the reviewer nothing.
Instead, describe a typical day — not the worst day, not the best day, but an average day.
Think of it as a “4 out of 10” day. That is the best picture of your true work capacity.
If part of your job required lifting 30 pounds even once or twice a month, document it. That is considered occasional lifting and is relevant to whether you can perform that type of work today.
If you leave information out, Social Security may deny your case because they do not understand the nature of your prior work — and they will not guess.
Be Precise on Functional Limitation Forms
One of the most important forms is SSA-3373: the Function Report. This form asks how your condition affects daily life.
Take your time. Think carefully. Do not minimize your limitations, and don’t assume the person reviewing your file “will understand.” Don’t talk too much.
Explain:
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- How far you can walk before stopping
- How long you can sit or stand
- How lifting affects you
- Whether pain interferes with concentration
- Whether fatigue causes you to lie down
- How often symptoms flare up
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Do not use vague phrases like “not very far” or “a while.” Think in numbers: “I can stand for 15 minutes before needing to sit.”
The more specific you are, the stronger your evidence.
Meet Your Deadlines
A surprising number of disability claims are denied simply because claimants fail to return forms on time. Social Security often gives only 7–14 days to complete and return requested information.
If you need more time, ask for it. They usually grant extensions.
If you do not return the forms, Social Security will make its decision without your input, and missing information almost always leads to denial.
Know When to Get Professional Help
You are free to file your disability application on your own. Some people get approved without legal assistance, and we can respect the desire to save money.
But you need to be realistic: If you have multiple medical issues, or if your conditions interact, worsen, or cause side-effects together, your case may not be approved early in the process.
Adjudicators often struggle with “combined effect” claims unless the evidence is clearly presented.
There are also technical issues most claimants do not know about:
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- Updating medical records before a hearing (no one does it for you).
- Understanding your Date Last Insured (DLI).
- Proving disability began before insurance expired.
- Avoiding evidentiary gaps.
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Imagine walking into a hearing and discovering that there are no updated medical records for the past 18 months. Or that your insured status expired years earlier, and you never submitted proof that your disability began before that date.
Those mistakes are devastating — and avoidable.
You only get one chance to make a first impression with Social Security.
If handling these details makes you uncomfortable or overwhelmed, talk to an experienced disability attorney.
Disability lawyers only get paid if we win your case.
Need Help with Your Disability Claim?
At The Krebs Law Firm we’ve helped hundreds of people across Springfield, Missouri and Northwest Arkansas win their Social Security Disability cases.
If your application has been denied or you’re waiting for your hearing, don’t face it alone. Let us prepare you, guide you, and fight for the benefits you deserve.
Call The Krebs Law Firm today or visit KrebsLawOffice.com for a free, no-risk consultation.
It only takes a few minutes — and it could make all the difference in your case.
We’re Here To Help
If you need help fighting for your Social Security disability rights, The Krebs Law firm offers free consultations. We can review your situation, help you determine the best course of action, and if you have a case, fight alongside you.
Of course, you could handle the matter alone, but the odds of successfully combatting a denial are higher with the help of a Social Security disability lawyer.
The Krebs Law Firm provides free consultations for Social Security Disability claimants, and we don’t get paid unless we win you the compensation you deserve. Set up your appointment with us without delay. You can reach our Springfield office at 417-883-5886 or toll free at 800-345-0535.
A Social Security disability lawyer can help make the process of getting the full amount you’re owed much easier. The Krebs Law Firm offers free consultations, and all it takes is giving us a call today.
Whether you’re making an initial Social Security Disability claim or striving to make an appeal, The Krebs Law Firm knows the ins and outs of the application process and offers free consultations to potential clients. You have nothing to lose by contacting us and everything to gain.
If you seek the help of a Social Security Disability attorney with your claim, the Krebs Law Firm has years of experience in helping our clients receive the full amount of Social Security Disability benefits that they rightly deserve in as timely a manner as possible. We know the ins and outs of the Social Security Disability process and would be happy to work with you.
At The Krebs Law Firm, we fight as hard as we can to help you get the disability coverage you deserve. Call our Springfield office today for a free consultation at 417-883-5886, our Columbia office at (573) 886-8976 or toll free at (800) 345-0535.
Jason Krebs is licensed in both Arkansas and Missouri. Our main office is in Springfield Missouri. Our Harrison Arkansas office is by appointment only. The address is 125 Industrial Park Road Suite E1 Harrison Arkansas 72601. Our local phone number in Harrison is (870) 741-8100. Our Toll Free phone number is (800) 345-0535. You can also send us an email to contact@KrebsLawOffice.com.
It can be daunting learning the ins and outs of Social Security Disability benefits, but it’s not a task you need to take on alone. Call on a Disability Attorney from The Krebs Law Firm to help you every step of the way.
We offer a free book on Social Security Disability benefits to Missouri and Arkansas residents. Give us a call today.
The Krebs Law Firm provides free consultations for Social Security Disability claimants, and we don’t get paid unless we win you the compensation you deserve. Set up your appointment with us without delay.